At the Women of Grace Leadership Institute, Martha Nicolli (Boca Raton, Florida, St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church) shared the following poem. It had been printed in her parish bulletin. Today, I pass it along to you to consider.  

Do you trust God? To what extent are you willing to risk to do the will of God? What is He asking you to do now and will you say "yes"?                                     

RISKS

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.

T0 weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

To experess your feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

T0 place your ideas, your dreams, before the crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

I have grown to realize risks must be taken

 because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

He may avoid suffering and sorrow,

but he simply cannot learn,

feel, change, grow, love, and live.

And chained by his attitiude he has forfeited freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

Only a person who trusts God can risk.